J-Socs lead the way in commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day 2017

Posted
on February 08 2017, 10:37 AM

Holocaust Memorial Day 2017 saw J-Socs organise 38 events on 27 campuses in England, Scotland and Wales; our HMD activity engaged well over 3,500 Jewish and non-Jewish students and staff. At some campuses, survivors of the Holocaust and other genocides gave testimony; memorial services, film screenings and discussions also took place.

Particularly impressive were the 270 guests who gathered to hear the testimony of Holocaust survivor Mindu Hornick at the University of Birmingham, hosted by Birmingham J-Soc (pictured right), and Liverpool J-Soc who hosted both a Holocaust survivor and a survivor of the Rwandan genocide. SOAS J-Soc also hosted a survivor of the Rwandan genocide whilst a Holocaust survivor joined Leeds J-Soc's Friday Night Dinner, and Hull J-Soc hosted a vigil and a stall together with the LGBT+ Network.

Jonny Graham and Spencer Glass, both of Swansea J-Soc, said: 'We gathered together to light a candle and recite a prayer of remembrance for those who lost their lives to the hands of evil. This was followed by a screening of the emotional film Sarah's Key, which follows the story of a young girl torn apart from her family following Vel' d'Hiv round-up.'

Aaron Ginsberg, of Bristol J-Soc, said: 'I felt that our event both educated about the Holocaust on a small scale through the story of an individual, and allowed us to give remembrance to those fallen in the atrocities of the Holocaust and other more recent tragedies.'

We are exceptionally proud of the students who work so hard to ensure that the Holocaust is commemorated each year on their campuses and who seek to educate their peers about the dangers of allowing differences to divide communities.

About UJS

We are the voice of over 8,500 Jewish students, spanning 60 Jewish Societies (J-Socs) on campuses across the UK and Ireland. We are traditional, progressive, cultural and spiritual; we come from the left, centre and right and can be found across religious and political spectrums.

Together we create and deliver powerful campaigns; fighting prejudice, advancing inclusion, and inspiring education and action on the issues that matter to us.